| 
  • If you are citizen of an European Union member nation, you may not use this service unless you are at least 16 years old.

  • You already know Dokkio is an AI-powered assistant to organize & manage your digital files & messages. Very soon, Dokkio will support Outlook as well as One Drive. Check it out today!

View
 

Pennsylvania Transition Assessment Resources

Page history last edited by Michael Stoehr 13 years, 10 months ago

 Welcome to The Pennsylvania Transition Assessment Resource Wiki

 

The Purpose of the Transition Assessment Resources Wiki site is to provide information and resources for youth and young adults, families/caregivers, educations staff, agency personnel, and other stakeholders regarding the importance of utilizing a variety of  assessments in a planful and ongoing bases throughout the young person's middle and high school career.

 

  

 

What is Secondary Transition? 

 

Secondary Transition is the process of preparing students for adult life after they leave high school. In Pennsylvania Transition planning begins at age 14, or younger if determined appropriate by the IEP team, as students consider their goals for the time after graduation through career awareness exploration activities. The transition process continues through high school as academic instruction and community experiences help clarify and support students’ goals. The entire process is based on individual student’s needs, taking into account each student’s strengths, preferences, and interests. Transition can be thought of as a bridge between school programs and the opportunities of adult life, including higher education or training, employment, independent living and community participation. The Secondary Transition in a Standards Aligned System:Roadmap provides an overview of this process that includes:

 

  • Step One: Use assessment to identify the student’s post-secondary desired goals or vision.

 

  • Step Two: Describe the student’s Present Levels of Academic Achievement / Functional Performance, embedding Assessment data

 

  • Step Three: Establish Transition Team partnerships

 

  • Step Four: Design a Transition Plan that includes courses of study and Services/Activities (transition grid)

 

  • Step Five: Determine Measurable Annual Goals that address skill deficits and lead to post-secondary goals

 

  • Step Six: Monitor progress and adjust instruction based on data

 

 

Why Assessment? 

 

Assessment is a critical component of a Standards Aligned System and forms the basis for secondary transition. Assessment for transition planning is an ongoing process of collecting data on the individual’s needs, preferences, and interests as they relate to the demands of current and future employment, educational, living, and personal and social environments. Assessment data serves as the common thread in the transition process and forms the basis for defining goals and services to be included in the Individualized Education Program (IEP). 

  

For additional information regarding the utilization of assessments in the framework of Pennsylvania's Standard's Aligned System please visit the PA SAS site at: http://www.pdesas.org/Assessment/About

  

Suggested Site Uses:

 

If You Are:

 

An Educator:  The information provided on this site will provide administrators, teachers, transition coordinators, guidance counselors, and other educational professionals with foundational information and resources to implement effective transition assessment practices in their schools.  This information will assist educational staff in not only meeting the compliance indicator requirements of State Performance Plan (SPP) Indicator 13 but will assist in the establishment of effective secondary transition programs and successful student outcomes (reflected in SPP Indicator 14).

 

Site pages of particular note:

 

  • In the Overview of Assessment section you will find informational PowerPoint materials that detail the transition assessment process.

 

  • Sections II, III, and IV provide educational staff with background information regarding the importance of engaging youth and young adults, family members, agency staff and other related stakeholders in the secondary transition process. Included in this section are strategies and resources for implementation.

 

  • Section V is divided into subsections based upon student level of need and Post-Secondary Goal Areas. Included in this section are examples of informal and formal assessments, internet links, suggestions for portfolio usage and integration of information into the student’s Summary of Performance.

 

  • Section VI provides and overview of the strategies utilized in the Pennsylvania Ind. 13 Cohort model.  An emphasis is placed on the importance of interpreting and integration of assessment results in the overall development of a student’s IEP.  Included in this section is the graphic depiction, IEP Alignment Present Education Levels to Progress Monitoring .  Also included in this section are training example IEPs and Alignment charts that demonstrate how assessment information can be interpreted, integrated, and utilized.

 

  • Section VII includes a PowerPoint, background information, articles and web resources that are related to the use of Universal Design for Learning to ensure the success of all students in accessing assessment.

 

  • Section VIII includes resource materials and strategies for educational staff to develop a "transition assessment map". Transition Assessment Mapping is the process of collecting  information on currently utilized assessments and related activities by grade level in both general and special education, review and organization of this information, and suggestions for supplementing recognized areas of need

  

A Youth or Young Adult:  If you are a young person viewing this site for the first time you might be asking yourself " So what is all of this stuff about?" and "Why should I care?"  Several year's ago The Pennsylvania Youth Leadership Network (PYLN) put together a guide to help you better understand the transition process, assessment and how you can be an active, empowered part of this process. 

 

The following is some information about the transition process and the importance of assessment.  For more information explore the Meaningful Youth Engagement Page on this site.

 

Transition planning must be included in your IEP beginning at age 14.  Transition planning helps you figure out what you are going to do after you graduate from high school.  Transition is an organized set of activities that helps you move from high school to college, post-secondary training, independent living or work.  It focuses on what you need and what you want to do. Once you graduate from high school, the assistance and services you receive from your teachers such as occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech therapy, wrap around services and the people who help you with math, reading, behavior, test taking, etc. will no longer be there to help you.  But as you know life does not end after you leave high school. Therefore, you need to have a plan to be able to achieve your goals and live life as an adult. The transition process was created to help you set your goals and get the things you need to achieve your dreams.

Your school is required to help you develop post-school goals for when you leave school. Your post-school goals are found in your IEP. 

 

The three “post-school goals” that you need to think about when planning your future are:

 

  1. Post secondary education or training (going to a 2-4 university, community college, technical school, or anything that furthers your education)
  2. Employment (getting a job)
  3. Independent Living ( how to live on your own successfully – where do you want to live, how will you get around in your community, what do you want to do in your free time)

 

How do I set post-school goals?

 

To be able to set post-school goals, you need to know about yourself including your interests, strengths and weaknesses.  Assessment is a process where you learn about yourself and your post school goals.  Even though assessment may involve taking some tests, it can also involve things like learning about jobs through real life experiences.  When you are asked to take a test, it’s important for you to learn about why it is happening, what to expect and how you can get accommodations to take the test.  After take the test it is important to sit with someone you trust to talk about what happened, how you are feeling and review your results.  This information can be used to help you develop your post school goals. 

 

Your post school goals directly influence the classes and activities you will take during high school. Transition planning helps the IEP team know about what you are interested in doing and includes agencies that my help you transition out of high school more easily.

 

A Family Member or Caregiver: Families are essential to the transition process for any youth. Parents and families are often the most helpful historians, providing the transition team partners with an essential level of detail about the background, experiences, and functional needs of the young person.

 

Family input early in the transition process establishes a solid foundation for planning and builds a critical connections and relationships with the transition partners.

 

It is vital that educators and agency staff:

  • Build a trustworthy relationship with the young person and family
  • Appreciate the fact that families have a long history of working with multiple professionals with mixed results
  • Provide support to families to plan for change during the transition process

 

This site will provide family members and caregivers with foundational information and resources to assist their son or daughter in achieving their desired post secondary goals.

 

Site pages of particular note:

 

  • In the Overview of Assessment section you will find informational PowerPoints that detail the transition process.  

 

  • Section IIT Family Engagement contains a variety of resources to increase your understanding and engagement in your son/daughter's secondary transition planning process.  Included in this section are two trainings on transition developed by parents for parents. Also contained in this section are examples of parent surveys, the PA Transition Health Care Checklist, and an example of a Parent Transition Handbook.

 

  • Section V is divided into subsections based upon student level of need and Post-Secondary Goal Areas. Included in this section are examples of informal and formal assessments, internet links, suggestions for portfolio usage and integration of information into the student’s Summary of Performance.

 

  • Section VII includes a PowerPoint, background information, articles and web resources that are related to the use of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) to ensure the success of all students in accessing assessment. Included in this section is an UDL guidebook for families. 

 

An Agency Staff Person or Other Stakeholder: Agency personnel, employers, and community members play a vital role in assisting youth and young adults in achieving their post-secondary goals.

 

It is essential that we collectively recognize the need to share information, resources and responsibility for supporting youth and young adults in their successful transition to the role of productive, participating adult citizens. This collaborative process involves developing an understanding of the viewpoint, language, and culture of each transition stakeholder. 

 

The information provided on this site will provide agency personnel, employers, and community members with foundational information and resources to assist youth and young adults in achieving their desired post secondary goals.  

 

Site pages of particular note:

  

  • In the Overview of Assessment section you will find informational PowerPoint materials that detail the transition process.  

  

  • Sections II, III, and IV will provide you with background information regarding the importance of engaging youth and young adults, family members, agency staff and other related stakeholders in the secondary transition process. Included in this section are strategies and resources for implementation.

  

  • Section V is divided into subsections based upon student level of need and Post-Secondary Goal Areas. Included in this section are examples of informal and formal assessments, internet links, suggestions for portfolio usage and integration of information into the student’s Summary of Performance.

  

  • Section VII includes a PowerPoint, background information, articles and web resources that are related to the use of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) to ensure the success of all youth in accessing assessment.  

 

Sections to Explore 

 

I Overview of Assessment

 

II Meaningful Youth Engagement

 

III Family Engagement

 

IV Cross-Stakeholder Engagement

 

V Assessment Resources

 

VI Guide to Interpreting and Integrating Assessments Results into the IEP

 

VII Use of UDL for Assessment

 

VIII Assessment Mapping

 

 

 

 

 

 

Comments (0)

You don't have permission to comment on this page.